The Universe’s Need for Allah’s vicegerent

Allah’s Attributes are not merely verbal; rather; they are objective and having external realization. The first Attributes which manifested themselves from the invisible God at His will are four according to a narration, and seven according to another which can somehow refer to the same name. The first Attributes are the Ever-living, the All-knowing, the All-Powerful, and the Speaker.

Each of these Attributes has a domain and property for itself and there is a longing in them for manifestation. Since ‘Allah’ is comprehensive of all attributes, it generally holds other Attributes and does not allow an Attribute to emerge alone.

The Universe’s Need for Allah’s vicegerent

Each part of the universe which was materialized with Allah’s Most Excellent Names is under the Attribute which rules it. Beyond doubt someone must come into existence to be the full manifestation of Allah’s Chief Name and create a balance among Allah’s concrete Names so that they will not interfere with each other. In other words, the universe is in need of a perfect man who is the manifestation of all Most Excellent Names as well as the Chief Name so as to be able to administer all the affairs as Allah’s vicegerent with His permission. Even angels who are abstract beings and each of them is assigned with a special duty [And there is none of us but has an assigned place (37:164)] are in need of Allah’s vicegerent (khal¢fat all¡h) so as to control them in their affairs and to teach them what is necessary.

To sum it up, based on Qur’¡nic verses and narrations, the universe is in need of khal¢fat all¡h even if no human beings had been created. The first human being of our kind, Adam, was also in need of khal¢fat all¡h so that his affairs would be administered justly. Hence he himself was khal¢fat all¡h in order for that position to be a link between him and Allah.

Based on this urgent need, Allah chose a vicegerent for Himself and made him rule over universe:

I am going to place in the earth a khal¢fah –Vicegerent- (2:30)

This khal¢fah would rule the highest stages of the universe. Though the earth is the lowest of the low, potentially, it is the highest in terms of position and rank, for the earth, this most passive element, is the only element which can collect in it all Allah’s Attributes and become the most active element of universe thanks to its mere passiveness.

And He taught Adam all the names (2:31)